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The FIA has confirmed there will be two Straight Mode zones for this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, on the pit straight and on the straight between Turn 10 and the Turns 11/12 chicane. Active aero will not be permitted through the banked final corner, meaning Straight Mode can only be used on the main straight rather than through the banking as in the DRS era. Drivers within one second of a car ahead will, however, be able to use Overtake Mode battery boost on the banking before the pit straight.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies says the team are “not done yet” after Max Verstappen signed a new contract to stay until the end of 2030. Mekies said: "But we are not done yet. There are more races to win, more milestones to achieve and more history to write. Together, we continue to raise the bar with the same determination that brought us to the top of the sport and an even greater faith in what we can achieve. Much will evolve as we move forward, but our ambition remains unchanged - united by one direction, one vision, one Team."
Lando Norris says George Russell is potentially going through the “opposite” swing in confidence to the one Norris experienced during his 2025 title-winning campaign, with Russell facing pressure from team-mate Kimi Antonelli’s form. Norris said: "So, whereas last year I went from not much confidence to: 'What have I got to lose now?' he's going for the opposite, I would say, going from feeling quite confident to probably maybe losing some of that confidence, and maybe now getting to that point, every driver has to find their own way of doing it."
Alex Albon says the 2026 regulations have moved Formula 1 away from his strengths, with the lack of high-speed corners and the sensitivity of the tyres making it harder for him to find the sweet spot. Albon said: "There are elements where I do think these regs are away from my strengths. Things like, there is no high speed [corners] anymore. I always consider high speed as one of my strengths, but whenever a corner is high speed, it's now either flat itself, like it was in Pouhon [at Spa], or we're just arriving so slowly now that they're not high speed. Then there's also just trying to understand these regs. Cars, these tyres, they're quite sensitive. At the moment, I haven't really found the sweet spot with them."
Sky F1 reporter Craig Slater says Isack Hadjar fractured his wrist while boxing in the gym during training ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix. Red Bull has only confirmed Hadjar “has sustained a wrist injury during summer shutdown” that will keep him out at Zandvoort, with Liam Lawson replacing him this weekend. With Lawson stepping in at Red Bull, Yuki Tsunoda will fill in for him at Racing Bulls alongside Arvid Lindblad.
“I am really pleased with the contract extension. We have the best people and I'm excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again. This remains the ultimate goal that all of us have been working towards and will continue to pursue. I want to thank Red Bull, Laurent and everyone at Oracle Red Bull Racing for the trust they put in me. "I have always said it: The Team is like a second family for me and I feel very at home. I came to the Team hoping to be able to win races. What we went on to achieve together has been simply lovely and we have shared many incredible moments and won four World Championships. To continue this journey with the same Team that I have been with my whole career is really special and something I have always wanted to do. "Getting to work with Laurent now for over a year has also been great, I see a clear vision he has for the Team. Everyone in Milton Keynes believes in what we are building and I am looking forward to the next chapter, fighting for more victories and competing for championships as we continue to shape the future of this Team. To make this announcement during the last Grand Prix at Zandvoort is a great moment for me as well. Hopefully we can give the fans a special send-off for the final race.”
Alex Albon says a “frustrating” season has not changed his belief in Williams’ direction after he decided to stay with the team for the 2027 Formula 1 campaign. Albon said: "One tough year doesn't paint a full picture of the story that I've had with Williams, and I've seen progress year to year. Of course, it's been a frustrating year so far, but it doesn't make me not believe in this team, and its ambitions, and what I believe the team can achieve."
Length of lap 4.259 km Lap record 1:11.097, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 2021 Start line / Finish line offset 0.061 km Total number of race laps 72 Total race distance 306.587 km Pitlane speed limits 80 km/h in practice, qualifying and the race CIRCUIT CHANGES Bump repairs approaching Turn 1. Smoother beginning of the kerb at the apex of Turn 8. Blue line added at the apex of Turn 11 and at the exit of Turn 12. Several TSP, light panels have been raised.
Honda chief F1 engineer Shintaro Orihara said Honda’s upgraded engine, set to debut at Zandvoort at the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend, has been focused primarily on improving power performance. Orihara said: "Our biggest weakness point is power performance. So we focused on improving engine performance in the new engine. We just purely focused on improving engine performance from the new spec engine and to build up drivability based on combustion characteristics. We don't start from point zero. So the first focus point is performance, then drivability we just keep improving through the event."
Carlos Sainz says the “transparency and honesty” he has seen from Williams management, including team boss James Vowles, was a key factor in him agreeing a new multi-year contract. Sainz said: "One of the things I value the most is having a straightforward relationship. Since day one at this team, I have experienced that not only with James, the rest of the management team and the Board members, but also with the different individuals across the entire organisation. To improve and move forward, it is important to be transparent and honest."
Yuki Tsunoda will race for Racing Bulls at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort after Isack Hadjar was ruled out with a wrist injury, prompting Liam Lawson to step up to Red Bull. Tsunoda wrote on social media: “Happy to get back behind the wheel this weekend and step in for the team. Wishing Isack Hadjar a speedy recovery!”
Oscar Piastri says his target for the remaining rounds of the season is to start “challenging for wins” again with McLaren, while focusing first on getting the most out of the car every weekend. Piastri said: "In terms of results, I would love to be able to be challenging for wins again, as I have done at the Hungaroring. I think if we can start challenging for wins then we can start thinking about what we can achieve in the Championship. But first and foremost, we need to just make sure we're getting the most out of the car and ourselves every weekend. Then if we've got the car to be able to win, then we can try to win."
TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss has set Marcin Budkowski four immediate priorities for Cadillac’s second half of the 2026 F1 season after Budkowski replaced Graeme Lowdon as team principal, a move Towriss said was his decision alone. Speaking to PlanetF1.com, Towriss said the focus is on “reliability, performance, kind of process organisation and culture”, with Budkowski calling reliability “a major obstacle to learning” and pledging to “sort out the reliability issues as quickly as possible”.
Alex Albon says Williams’ difficult 2026 season has helped trigger an aggressive push to fix long-standing problems, as he commits his future to the team. Albon said: "Even though it's been a tough year, the response of the team back at the factory and the work that's been put in to understand our issues has been huge. In many ways, it has felt like we've needed this tough moment to really accelerate some of the aggressive plans to fix some core problems within the car that have plagued us for years."
Circuit of The Americas will offer a new $20 “Grand PrixView Thursday” ticket for the 2026 United States Grand Prix weekend, giving fans entry to the circuit a day earlier than a traditional three-day pass. COTA said the standalone Thursday ticket will include an F1 pitlane walk, F1 Academy track activity, access to the paddock, and its fan villages and F1 Fan Zone. COTA chairman Bobby Epstein said: “We’re always looking for ways to make F1 more accessible… For just $20, you can come, get up close with F1 and see what all the excitement is about.”
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